ChooseWell²: May Issue

Spring is here and so is the May issue of ChooseWell2! This month we focus on the connection between our mind, body, and the people around us. You will find that it is important to nurture all three relationships in order to ensure your own wellbeing. From healthy eating to just knowing how to say “I’m sorry,” get in touch with yourself and others with these helpful articles. The MINES Team
Nutrition
	25 Super Snacks with 100 Calories or Less Love snacking but hate feeling guilty. With these low-cal snack ideas you can snack smarter and be happier. To view the slideshow, click here.
Fitness
	Easy Exercise Tips Of all the different ways to improve your physical and mental health, exercise is one of the easiest and safest methods. To read the full article, click here.
InterPersonal
	Relationship Rescue: The Art of Apologizing Earn the right to be forgiven with an authentic apology. Learn this important skill for yourself and those you care about. To read the full article, click here.
Stress Relief
	10 Relaxation Techniques to Reduce Stress If your hectic lifestyle has got you down, experts say relaxation techniques can bring you back into balance. Learn how to de-stress fast and effectively. To read the full article, click here.
	Click here to check out BalancedLiving Magazine!
	MINES does not warrant the materials (Audio, Video, Text, Applications, or any other form of media or links) included in this communication have any connection to MINES & Associates, nor does MINES seek to endorse any entity by including these materials in this communication. MINES accepts no liability for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided herein, nor any additional content that may be made available through any third-party site. We found them helpful, and hope you do too!

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ChooseWell2: April Issue

	Nutrition
		Diet for Stress Management Slideshow: Stress-Reducing Foods Stress: We all have it, and how we handle it can make all the difference. Learn how a stress management diet can help. To view the slideshow, click here.
	Fitness
		Exercise Guides Whether you are curious on how to target a specific muscle, or looking for a variety to add to your workout – this guide may be extremely helpful. To use the interactive guide, click here.
	InterPersonal
		Interested in Being a Volunteer? Get a clear idea of what type of volunteering opportunities would be best for you based on personality and skills. To read the full article, click here.
	Stress Relief
		The Effects of Stress on Your Hair It has been said that stress can make you go gray, or cause you to lose your hair. But can it? To read the full article, click here.
	Click here to check out BalancedLiving Magazine!
	MINES does not warrant the materials (Audio, Video, Text, Applications, or any other form of media or links) included in this communication have any connection to MINES & Associates, nor does MINES seek to endorse any entity by including these materials in this communication. MINES accepts no liability for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided herein, nor any additional content that may be made available through any third-party site. We found them helpful, and hope you do too!

ChooseWell2: March Issue

		Nutrition
			Healthy Weight Loss & Dieting Tips How to lose weight and keep it off. Learn how to avoid common dieting pitfalls, achieve lasting weight loss success, and develop a healthier relationship with food. To read the entire article, click here.
		Fitness
			Top 5 Exercises for Getting Healthy Without Leaving the House Building good exercising habits can be a bit of a lifestyle change, but with these exercises it is plain to see that anybody can do them. To read the entire article, click here.
		InterPersonal
			Work-life Balance: Tips to Reclaim Control When your work life and personal life are out of balance, your stress level is likely to soar. Use these practical strategies to restore harmony. To get started, click here.
		Stress Relief
			4 Ways to Deal with Stress Be sure to check out these four simple techniques that may help you manage your stress. To read the full article, click here.
		Click here to check out the NEW Leadership Magazine!
		MINES does not warrant the materials (Audio, Video, Text, Applications, or any other form of media or links) included in this communication have any connection to MINES & Associates, nor does MINES seek to endorse any entity by including these materials in this communication. MINES accepts no liability for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided herein, nor any additional content that may be made available through any third-party site. We found them helpful, and hope you do too!

The Fourth Wall Revisited: Breaking past the Demons

I just couldn’t help dovetailing off of my erudite colleague Ryan Lucas’s most recent blog “Health inSite: Breaking the Fifth Wall.” You see, I am currently in a theater production – mid run. This is something I do every two years or so to keep me young and “in the game.” As always, the life lessons have been prodigious and applicable. These lessons can be applied to health, wellness, as well as organizational performance. Each night we have a huddle before the performance (big cast – 21 actors plus directors, choreographer, lighting engineers, and stage managers) to share a moment of teamwork and motivating words from one another. In this blog I will be sharing a version of what I will share in our next huddle.

In this play, the Fourth Wall definitely gets intentionally broken. If that didn’t work, the play would be a mere shell of itself. Okay, here you go: the play is “The Full Monty.” If you are not familiar with the story, it is about a group of unemployed steelworkers who come up with the idea of putting on a working man’s strip show to make some quick cash. Through the process, each one goes through some personal transformation of overcoming personal doubts and limitations. This is the Broadway musical version that was created after the movie. This is a play of tremendous heart and is about so much more than crudity and stripping (It is set in Buffalo with steel workers, so there is a bit of a hard edge).

Here is what I want to share:

As much as this has been an incredibly fun and positive experience, as happened with me, I have faced some personal demons in the process. I would guess most of us have; be it relationships, body image, skills and talents, or any of the stuff that gets in our way when we attempt to excel. So much of the play is about overcoming those demons. What it takes in order to accomplish this is the openness and support of those around us – our community. When the six of us (“Monty Men”) come out for the last big number, the rest of the cast is out in the audience and has become part of the audience (breaking the Fourth Wall). I cannot tell you the powerful and amazing feeling of getting ready to “bare it all” with this great crew out in the audience whooping, hollering, and heckling. Then they incite the audience to do the same – perhaps approaching the Fifth Wall Ryan alludes to in which people join together in support. The focus is on the six of us, but it’s about each and every one of us, and what it takes to overcome your doubts to reach pure joy and celebration. What I experience is that we are all in it together and that’s what makes it work. I overcame my, as well as my character’s, personal demons. What a gift!

Perhaps we do not completely get to the “Fifth Wall” Ryan alludes to in his blog. There is no designed sharing between audience members. However, we are all very present together in the dance and song  “Let It Go.” Breaking the barrier walls, we can construct with one another through openness and support, and create miracles of accomplishment. This is the same at work, in our families, and in any given situation. The characters in this play are almost as diverse as in any workplace. And yet, in the end when we “Let it Go” the show is a huge success and the world feels like a better place.

Let it Go,

Patrick Hiester, L.P.C.
VP of BizPsych

Health inSite: Breaking the Fifth Wall

A refresher on Alternate Reality Games, Transmedia Storytelling, and Engagement

While I highlighted the opportunities with Alternate Reality Games and Transmedia Storytelling in my last post, I wanted to take a moment to share a recent production that I’ve been looking into that really highlights how this format works: The Lizzie Bennet Diaries. The Lizzie Bennet Diaries (LBD) is a modern retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.  The characters in the story have their own online presence within various social media outlets and interact with one another through Twitter, Tumblr, YouTube, ThisIsMyJam, Websites, and more (various examples shown).  The characters share their stories with one another through these dynamic media and oftentimes interact with the audience as well.

While this has engaged a pretty significant audience (fandom), what is really incredible is the way in which the audience has begun to participate with one another.  A recent update to the story included new information that Lydia Bennet (Lizzie’s youngest sister in the updated version) has been caught up in a sex tape scandal (remember, this is not meant to be perfectly along the storyline that Jane Austen wrote, but one that resonates with the audience of this retelling).  There was a huge outcry from the audience expressing dismay at this turn of events.  So much so, that that there was discussion the fandom should look for a hacker who would be willing to hack the website on which the video’s seller was collecting interested buyers with a countdown clock.  This created an immediate problem for the producers/writers of the story.  If the site indeed had been taken down, the team would have to develop a way to get around the change in the storyline created by the audience, and at great expense.  In this way, the audience collaborated to solve the problem of the character, rather than maintain their understanding that this was simply part of the story for consumption.

Let’s start with the Fourth Wall

In theater, the Fourth Wall is the theoretical veil between the audience and the stage.  Breaking the Fourth Wall happens when the players on the stage actively communicate directly to the audience.  There are countless examples in which the magic of the story playing on any stage (screen applies here too) is broken in this way, but the practice is increasing with evermore prevalent new media projects.  In my last post, I described Transmedia Storytelling and Alternate Reality Games as a way of telling a story through multiple media streams and its ability to engage an audience in new and immersive ways.  But breaking the Fourth Wall can be used to engage the audience in participating in the story through these methods to expand the value of the experience that the audience has.  For more on the Fourth Wall, check out Wikipedia for a quick overview, or TV Tropes for all kinds of cool information about the idea and the way that the  this device may be used.

Now, to the Fifth Wall

There is another proposed wall which has been less well explored, and often debated as to its name: The Fifth Wall.  The operational definition that I like is the veil that separates members of the audience from one another.  For a long time, the audience has been the passive observer of entertainment with notable exceptions of breaking the Fourth Wall.  But, rarely does a media experience really ask for members of the audience to work with one another.  This concept of the Fifth Wall could have significant implications in the sharing of narrative within an Alternate Reality Game with a true Transmedia Story backbone.  Consider the opportunities of having participants in the audience that can help guide the story cooperatively; sharing goals, pushing one another toward success, battling challenges together.  If your friends’ friends impact your health in positive and negative ways (see previous posts about link influence here), what about engaging a first node relationship more directly to change the perception of the second or third node to ripple back through the network to you.  In this way, the network then begins to course with change and as you make changes that influence others, their responsive changes come back to you.  In this way, helping others get healthier helps you get healthier.

The Walls and their implications within LBD

The surprising situation that happened within the LBD is that while the narrative has been so clearly billed as a story, with many instances of the Fourth Wall being broken (the producers actually have entire blog postings dedicated to talking about the production process as it is occurring), it turns out that the Fifth Wall nearly took down the production.  The audience reverted to a sense of belief as they interacted with one another.  The characters, then, are part of the audience – and the audience part of the characters.  This creates a shared experience where the audience felt that they were responsible for helping solve the problem for the character.

Summary

The investment of the audience in their shared experience (this includes characters, as mentioned above) has huge implications for health programming.  Imagine a story with so much motivation and movement as LBD written to achieve Salutogenesis by creating a shared landscape around health behaviors.  If we know that education, knowledge, and external incentives are not motivations for behavior change, is this the next landscape to try?  We think it is.

To our health,

Ryan Lucas
Marketing

ChooseWell2: February Issue

		Nutrition
			Pyramid or Plate? Healthy diets come in all shapes and sizes. Explore these balanced diet options and discover how easy it is to eat healthy. To read the entire article, click here.
		Fitness
			Don’t Get Sick at the Gym Be sure to check out these seven ways to prevent getting sick at the gym. To read the entire article, click here.
		InterPersonal
			Bring Your Life into Balance Toolkit You can bring your life into balance and have a more positive effect on those around you. Use this FREE, self-guided program for becoming a healthier, happier you! To get started, click here.
		Stress Relief
			Albrecht’s Four Types of Stress Most people experience some degree of stress in their jobs. But if you understand the most common types of stress and know how to spot them, you can manage your stress much better. To read the full article, click here.
		Click here to check out the NEW Leadership Magazine!
		MINES does not warrant the materials (Audio, Video, Text, Applications, or any other form of media or links) included in this communication have any connection to MINES & Associates, nor does MINES seek to endorse any entity by including these materials in this communication. MINES accepts no liability for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided herein, nor any additional content that may be made available through any third-party site. We found them helpful, and hope you do too!

Psychology of Performance – 40: Management of Chronic Illness

The expectations and beliefs we have about receiving a diagnosis of a chronic illness such as diabetes, heart problems, asthma, liver disease, addictions, depression, and so forth have a direct impact on how we manage that illness.  The beliefs may vary from “that’s not fair,” to “this is too much to handle,” to “I don’t have to check my blood today for diabetes sugar levels, I can get by,” or “I can have one drink or one deep fried snickers bar.” These beliefs are directly tied to how well a person follows their medical plan and how far they may fall when not adhering, otherwise known as relapsing.

I had the privilege and honor of facilitating a discussion group for Adult Type I diabetics. Some of them had been managing their diabetes for over 50 years. One member said, “I am so tired of shots and blood tests 4-5 times a day, I just don’t care anymore.” The member went on to say that her sugar levels were elevated on her A1C tests, were rising, and she was resigned.  This is a good example of a subtle, yet eventually serious, psychological impact issue related to her health and wellbeing.

If you or a loved one is diagnosed with a chronic illness, please pay attention to how they think about their illness as the psychological consequences, as well as the health and final consequences, can be overwhelming if they are not managed well. Depression and anxiety negatively affect health outcomes in most chronic illnesses.  A qualified mental health professional can be a very useful resource under these circumstances.

Exchange love and happiness with all those you meet today,

Robert A. Mines, Ph.D.,
CEO and Psychologist

ChooseWell2: January Issue

		Welcome to 2013! As always, we’re excited to share another year with you. This monthly communication, we’ve identified a couple of articles that we hope you’ll find useful in increasing your positive thinking towards a healthier and happier you. And remember, you can contact us anytime you need more tips or want to get a little help with improving yourself. To a great new year…The MINES Team
			Nutrition – 9 Noteworthy Nutrition Goals for the New Year It’s hard to ignore the refreshing feeling a new year brings. It’s a chance to re-evaluate your life and think about where you might like to make changes. To read the entire article, click here.
			Fitness – The Importance of a Positive Attitude Pertaining to Fitness Maintaining a positive attitude toward fitness is imperative, as few people stick to a program if they feel negatively about it. To read the entire article, click here.
			InterPersonal – 10 Tips to Overcome Negative Thoughts: Positive Thinking Made Easy Check out these ten easy steps and see if it helps make a difference… To read the full article, click here.
			Stress Relief – Stress Relievers: Top 10 Picks to Tame Stress Stress getting to you? Try physical activity, yoga, listening to music or other top stress relievers to help restore peace and calm to your life. To read the full article, click here.
		Click here to check out the NEW Balanced Living Magazine!
		MINES does not warrant the materials (Audio, Video, Text, Applications, or any other form of media or links) included in this communication have any connection to MINES & Associates, nor does MINES seek to endorse any entity by including these materials in this communication. MINES accepts no liability for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided herein, nor any additional content that may be made available through any third-party site. We found them helpful, and hope you do too!

Have a Happy, Healthy, Reasonable Stress Holiday from BizPsych

Happy Holidays from BizPsych! We typically have several requests this time of year to present our “Thriving with the Holidays” seminar for client companies. Surprisingly, this year we have had only one request, from our sister division in Las Vegas. Is it possible that there may be less acute stress this year in many organizations? Is there still much stress, but no time? Perhaps our past years’ efforts have cured all holiday stress (Nice fantasy…)? The holidays are a wonderful time for so many of us. Yet, for many people, the holidays bring an increased stress level that can take away from that delight. For some it’s actually a depressing time of year for a variety of reasons.

The cornerstone of our recommendation about coping or thriving with holiday stress has to do with setting balanced and reasonable expectations of ourselves and of others. There are cultural expectations that can lead to stress and disillusionment, i.e. “we should all be blissfully happy, have beautiful and significant presents for all, and be ever cheerful.” This probably does not work for all of us 100%. We can, however make meaning, be grateful, have authentic interactions, and celebrate what we believe in. One of the ways we can accomplish this is to set meaningful and realistic expectations for the holidays.

A number of years ago I worked out an optimal holiday stress management strategy formula called “Holiday Stress Math.” It is not rocket science, so please enjoy:

Holiday Stress Math
Holiday Stress is a function of: Expectations (E) vs. What Really Happens (WRH)

If E are H (High)    and    >   WRH   =   HS (High Stress Holiday)
If E are L (Low)     and    <   WRH   =   LS but DOL (Low Stress) (Depends on Luck)
If E are L (Low)     and    =   WRH   =   LS but NGT! (Low Stress) (Negative Good Time)
If E are H (High)    and    =   WRH   =   MS, PGT but HRI(Medium Stress) (Positive Good Time) (High Risk Investment)

BPRE (Best Possible, Realistic Expectation)     =     WRH(What Really Happens)     =     GRE (Good, Realistic Holiday)

Have a meaningful and reasonable stress holiday.
Peace and Joy,
Patrick Hiester
Vice President, BizPsych

ChooseWell: December Issue

		Nutrition
			Create a Daily Food Plan Want to know the amount of each food group you need daily? Simply enter your information to find out and receive a customized Daily Food Plan.Click here to begin.
		Fitness
			Beating the Cold-Weather Blahs Looking forward to the snowy season and all it has to offer? Winter can be a great time for family activities that allow you to spend time with your kids while being active.To read the full article, click here.
		InterPersonal
			How to Remember People’s Names Need another approach when it comes to remembering someone’s name? Check out these two simple, quick tips.To read the full article, click here.
		Stress Relief
			Holiday Travel: 10 Tips to Cut Stress Being home for the holidays is part of the joy of the season. But for many of us, getting there is super-stressful. So, what can help you escape the heartache and headache of holiday travel?View the slideshow, click here.
		Click here to check out the NEW Leadership Magazine!
		MINES does not warrant the materials (Audio, Video, Text, Applications, or any other form of media or links) included in this communication have any connection to MINES & Associates, nor does MINES seek to endorse any entity by including these materials in this communication. MINES accepts no liability for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided herein, nor any additional content that may be made available through any third-party site. We found them helpful, and hope you do too!